Immortals' Love Affair
by Pink Lychee
Summary: A collection of Hanekoma/Joshua short stories originally written for a 100 Ficlets Challenge. Follow Joshua and Mr. H as they engage in their day to day activities with one another. Hanekoma/Joshua
1. I

**INFORMATION**

**Disclaimer**: _The World Ends with You_ belongs to Jupiter and Square Enix.

**Synopsis**: This is a collection of short stories based around the relationship between Sanae Hanekoma and Yoshiya "Joshua" Kiryu. Each story is different and particularly unrelated to one another but all express their love and friendship in some way.

**Warnings**: Spoilers for the ending. Each story has different ratings so this entire story is rated M for safety.

**Pairing**: Hanekoma/Joshua

* * *

******Immortals' Love Affair**

* * *

**001. ****Toast**

A piece of golden brown bread slathered with a thin sheet of honey and served alongside a cup of hot tea is Joshua's usual morning breakfast. But it isn't as simple as it sounds. Joshua's refined taste calls for special attention to every minuscule detail which even applies to his morning meal.

And only Sanae Hanekoma knows how to execute every delicate procedure.

Every morning, before the barista even sets up Wildkat Café for business, he's already busy preparing breakfast for his favorite Composer. Hanekoma toasts the bread slice just right, not too brown and not too light. The honey, he paints on carefully, covering each and every crevice so that he can enjoy that small grin on Joshua's lips as he bites into the perfect proportion of bread and sweetness. Lastly, he serves the tea strong and plain because he knows how much Joshua loves to enjoy the aroma of his drink.

It is quite a hassle, and it's only breakfast, but Hanekoma hasn't complained. He won't.

Joshua doesn't need the breakfast at all but Hanekoma serves it to him anyways.

Whenever the young Composer eats, it's his smile that sets everything for Hanekoma. The barista mimics the smile, amazed that just a perfect breakfast can make Joshua feel more human, and happy.

* * *

**002. ****Knife**

Joshua thumbed the ornate, gemmed handle of the small blade that he found on one of Hanekoma's living room shelves. It was light in weight and alluring to the eyes and somehow, Joshua decided to bring the sharp end of the blade towards the pad of his index finger.

Maybe it's too dull to—

And the blade slid into and through his skin with ease, making him draw the blade back immediately, wincing a little. A thin line of dark red began to seep from beneath his pale flesh, but the blood continued to ooze from the wound without any stoppage and was soon dripping off his fingertip. Joshua only continued to stare idly with the blade still clenched loosely in his other palm. It wasn't so bad, just a little prick, but it did prove something.

"Guess you really are human now, Boss," Hanekoma said solemnly, entering the room with a mug of warm coffee in hand.

Joshua only grinned up at the man and leaned his back against the soft cushion of the sofa. He waited for Hanekoma to come around the coffee table and sit down next to him. The teen listened to the man's heavy sigh and eyed him carefully as the barista leaned over and pried the knife from the his pale fingers. When the dagger was safely set on the table, Hanekoma took Joshua's hand and brought it up to his lips, taking in his wounded index finger and sucked gently on the dripping blood.

"Sanae!" Joshua gasped and pulled his hand away, wiping it on his dark pants.

"I'm sorry," Hanekoma grunted and turned away from the teen. "Forgive me."

Joshua said nothing and continued to stare off into space, which left an uncomfortable curtain of silence hanging between them.

"Why did you do it?" Hanekoma eventually asked for what seemed like the hundredth time. There was a hint of evident sadness in his voice, but the ashen teen ignored it.

"The job gets old,'" Joshua replied casually. "Weren't those your exact words when they asked you?"

Hanekoma only replied with a short huff and shook his head. After a short silence, the café owner opened his mouth to speak but quickly changed his mind when Joshua got up from his seat and walked out of the room.

When the sound of the shutting door echoed into the living room, the lonely barista picked up the unsheathed dagger and eyed the small lining of blood on the edge of the blade. He glanced one last time at the direction in which Joshua left, and crossed the sharp metal against his own finger. Hanekoma laughed disbelievingly at himself as he sucked on the small cut. He laughed, because he knew nothing would hurt more than knowing that Joshua dethroned himself as Shibuya's Composer—not for him—but for Neku Sakuraba.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Originally, this was written for a Livejournal 100 ficlet challenge, but I never really got around to posting them on Livejournal. So, this fic will have a total of 100 short ficlets about these Hanekoma and Joshua because I love this pairing and these two don't seem to get enough love (as a couple).

Please tell me if you've enjoy these two opening stories; thank you for reading!


	2. II

**Immortals' Love Affair**

* * *

**003. Church**

It's forbidden for celestial beings to enter into another's sacred home without the owner's acknowledgement, but regardless of the heavenly laws set forth by the Higher Planes, Sanae and Joshua stood at the altar locked in an embrace. There will be punishment but neither of them seemed show any concern. Sanae had already been named a Fallen Angel, and Joshua was no more innocent than he. What did they have to lose?

* * *

**004. Driving**

Joshua let out an exasperated sigh and stared lazily out the window of Hanekoma's Sedan. He was leaning his chin on his palm and none of the speeding scenery outside seemed to be of any interest to him.

"Something the matter, J?" the barista glanced over briefly at his young passenger.

"Sanae, can we go somewhere that isn't… Shibuya?"

"What's wrong with…" Hanekoma began but stopped himself before he could finish the painfully obvious question. With one hand on the wheel, the man scratched the back of his head in thought. For a while, the two rode in silence, until Hanekoma reached over with his free hand and took hold of Joshua's as it that had been lying idly in his lap.

"You're right, boss," the man said with a slight smirk parched on his lips. "We really do need to change things up a bit."

Joshua turned to him with a grin, giggled and said, "Taking me to Tokyo isn't much of a change."

"Aw, com'on—don't use that trick on me," Hanekoma grumbled and silently mumbled something about Joshua's—quite annoying—ability to read his thoughts. "I was trying to be romantic for once."

"I'm not a girl, Sanae," Joshua pointed out and Hanekoma responded with a strange look and a nod. Soon, the two fell quiet once more.

The ashen teen was looking ahead at the flashing lights from the fellow cars on the highway when he began to lace his fingers between the Producer's.

"I think going to see Tokyo Tower would be nice."

The barista grunted at first, but replies with a chuckle.

"Of course, boss."

* * *

**005. Dawn**

It's five o'clock, a few hours before Wildkat café is open for business and Joshua is already there. He isn't having coffee at this time, but rather, he's tasting Hanekoma's lips as he's being pin against the cold refrigerator door by the café owner himself. Joshua chuckles lowly when Hanekoma finally releases his mouth and begins to trail kisses around his neck and collar bone. With a content sigh, the teen wraps his around tightly around the barista's shoulders and leans in, taking in the scent of the man's aftershave.

This isn't a special occasion; it's just how Hanekoma says, "Good morning."

* * *

**006. Child**

Hanekoma held young Joshua safely in his arms while the little one clung to fabric of his shirt. It was still pouring—Shibuya was still raining. Hanekoma cursed himself for not brining along an umbrella, but he tried his best to shield Joshua from anymore cold. As he made a dash towards his small café, Hanekoma prayed to the Higher Planes that he could do a better job than _this_ in the future as Joshua's self proclaim guardian angel.

* * *

**007. Autumn**

Outside, standing at the top of the roof, Joshua blew tiny white clouds from his breath and watched them float and disappear into the night air. This was as close as he would ever get to smoking, the Composer supposed. He never understood why Hanekoma could stand such horrid things, especially for a being like himself.

Joshua relaxed and breathed out a heavy sigh as he watched over his city. Shibuya was as unchanging as ever, even as the windmill of seasons continued to roll from one to another. As his gazed lingered on the sparkling lights, a chill ran down his spine. Joshua shivered and rubbed his arms for a little heat. The nights were getting colder and Joshua gave Shibuya one last look before deciding to head back inside, but before he could even take the first step, a rather warm blanket was draped around him.

The teen smiled his trademark grin as he felt a pair of too familiar arms wrap around his waist.

"You shouldn't stay out here in the cold," Hanekoma said, his voice deep and sincere.

"I was just about to retire for the night," Joshua explained. He brought his hands from beneath the blanket and gently settled them on top of the Hanekoma's rough knuckles.

"Shibuya, is still the same," Joshua said plainly.

"Hm? Well, yeah, Boss. Didn't Neku already establish that during your little game?" Hanekoma nuzzled into Joshua's neck, his hot breath lingering on the surface of his skin as he spoke.

Joshua chuckled and turned his face to meet his partner's.

"I know," he murmured. "I just wanted to hear myself admit it."

A smile made its way onto Hanekoma's lips and he shook his head in disbelief.

"Whatever you say, Josh," the barista replied. He then leaned in close, pulling Joshua closer to his chest and taking the boy's lips gently, as he always does.

Joshua kissed him back without hesitation and tightened his grip on Hanekoma's hands. The teen smiled into his partner's mouth and giggled quietly, knowing that they won't be heading back inside for a while.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

Thank you BleedingOpal reviewing and supporting this pairing!

Hopefully you all enjoyed a bit of fluff between Joshua and Hanekoma? I will be continuing this archive so please check back for updates :) Thank you for reading!


	3. III

**Immortals' Love Affair**

* * *

**008. Fear**

His breath escapes in uneven, raspy huffs as he wipes the jet black fringes from his brow. Joshua—Composer of Shibuya is gone, leaving nothing behind but a bed full of messy sheets, scattered feathers, and his favorite revolver. Hanekoma expects the worst and leaves Wildkat in search of the heavenly being, praying to the higher planes that all of Shibuya will be spared.

* * *

**009. Monsters**

Joshua giggles and clings onto Hanekoma's arm, disregarding the angry warning that the older man mutters under his breath.

"These beasts are scary!" Joshua laughs. "Do you think they'll eat me, Sanae?"

"Josh," Hanekoma groans and pulls away from the boy's grip. He grabs both his shoulders and leans down to fully look into his eyes. Joshua chuckles again and Hanekoma caught the scent of heavy liquor in the boy's breath. Evidently, it seems that Joshua was able to get a hold of his secret stash of alcohol.

Hanekoma clicks his tongue and sighs in annoyance. His new KAT mural is going to have to wait. The man drops the paint can he had been using into the bucket, hauls a blushing and laughing Joshua over his shoulder and begins his long walk back home.

* * *

**010. Red**

"You're doing quite a lot of preparation," Joshua said when he entered Wildkat Café.

"Hey there, J," Hanekoma greeted.

The barista was balancing on the top step of a ladder, trying to pin a pair of pink velvet heart cut-outs onto the wall. He was still in the middle of decorating when his younger friend had triggered the tiny bell at the café's entrance.

"Believe it or not," Hanekoma said. "I actually get quite a sufficient amount of costumers during Valentine's Day."

The man leaned back a bit to admire his work and slowly climbed back down the ladder. He commenced on his decorating and started digging into the cardboard box on the counter for some final furnishings for the café. He casually told Joshua to take a seat while he finished the job he had started.

Joshua only chuckled and took a seat on one of the couches. "I'll never understand the coloration between young lovers and cafés."

"Aw, come now, J," Hanekoma said as he wiped his hands onto his apron and walked over to Joshua. "It's just a fun holiday for lovers everywhere. The kids always associate chocolates with this day. And besides, it gives me a chance to sell these licorice candies."

"I assume those are your best-sellers during this season," Joshua speculated with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"No doubt about it. I guess it's because they look like those strings of fate and couples just love sharing them. You remember the strings of fate, don't you Joshua?"

"The Red Sting of Fate. It is believed that the ancient Chinese God tied a red string to two people who are destined to be soul mates." Joshua said, exercising his infinite knowledge.

They were quiet for a while and Joshua noticed Hanekoma taking something out from his pocket. As if he had been planning this entire conversation, the barista held in his hand a brilliant red piece of string.

"You wanna try it, J?" he asked softly and smiled.

Joshua only continued to stare at him as if he was mad. He quietly opened his mouth to reply but before any words were echoed, Hanekoma already took his hand and began tying one end of the string onto Joshua's little finger. There was nothing better than watching Joshua look curiously from him and back to the red string tied to their pinkies; his expression was priceless. Hanekoma could never resist that slight pinkness that stained his cheeks whenever he touched him. The boy squirmed at first but Hanekoma's fast working fingers made the moment fly by. With the red string tied to both their pinkies, Hanekoma cupped Joshua's cheek and leaned in to present him with a chaste kiss on the lips.

"See?" the café owner breathed. "It's perfect."

It wasn't long before Joshua gave in and pulled Hanekoma down towards him for another kiss. Joshua slowly laid himself onto the couch and held Hanekoma close to him.

Perhaps, Valentine's Day isn't so pointless after all.

* * *

**011. Bread**

Joshua sighed, wiped his lips with the tissue, and took a nibble into the next piece of pastry on the silver tray. He felt his stomach ready to burst but he looked across the table at his long time friend, Sanae and noticed that the number of tarts left on his dish was far less than his. Joshua breathed out another heavy, aggravated sigh and dropped the treat he held in his hand.

"Giving up, J?" Sanae asked him. The man wore a pastry-crust-lined smirk on his lips and swallowed the last bite he had in his mouth.

"What does it look like?" Joshua mumbled angrily and crossed his arms.

The barista laughed heartily and finished the last of his pastry, licking his fingers almost mockingly while he leaned back comfortably in his seat.

"Maybe you should have gone with bread and butter," Sanae said.

Joshua only gives him a short grunt, pushes himself out of the chair and staggers his overfilled belly upstairs to his room. He had had enough of baked goods to last his immortal lifetime.

* * *

**012. Sleep**

Granted, the two of them did not necessarily need the rest as humans did, but sometimes the chilly unused bed seemed somewhat warmer with someone in your arms. Joshua smiled contently, snuggled closer and listened to the slow beating of Sanae's heartbeats.


	4. IV

**Immortals' Love Affair**

* * *

**013. Hairbrush**

Was there anything wrong with that image? Hanekoma did not think so.

He was running a brush through Joshua's delicate, ashen colored hair while the boy had his nose in a book. Hanekoma hummed a few simple tunes and saw Joshua reaching for a sip of the freshly brewed coffee that he had made for him.

Yes. This was just another one of their typical Sunday mornings when the Reapers' Game had ended.

* * *

**014. Web**

He often wondered how everything would be if he assumed his human form in its entirety and threw away all the responsibilities of being Shibuya's Composer. Creating rules for the Reapers' Game never failed to feel mundane after an eternity at the job. In all honesty, he found more excitement when he left his quarters to pay Sanae Hanekoma a visit at the WildKat Café. It wasn't as if they did anything particularly fascinating, at that.

They just talked. Occasionally, Hanekoma would be so bold as to give him a soft peck on the check or lips before he retires back to his place at the Shibuya River.

Then there were the rendezvous nights that Joshua could never refuse. Hanekoma would drive the two of them far from Shibuya where they were free to become one without a single care about the rest of the sleeping world. Those were the nights that made Joshua feel human.

Within the tangled mess of a life that he lived, Joshua often found himself caught—trapped—trying to figure out what exactly he wanted. The same thoughts travelled through his mind. Did he want to continue his everlasting life as Shibuya's Composer? Did he want to become a human and live only one lifetime? But eventually, all the thoughts disappeared. They always ended up feeling irrelevant to him.

At the end of the day, Joshua knew exactly _who_ he wanted, mortal or immortal.

* * *

**015. Candles**

Joshua wanted everything to be "legitimate" that night and Hanekoma gave him exactly that. Roses, strawberries, candles, music, and silk bed sheets were all included in the package. Hanekoma's small bedroom was somehow magically transformed into a romantic couple's heaven.

The boy chuckled lightly while the barista was busy kissing his neck. The two were cuddled together on the barista's bed, naked and exposed to one another.

"What's so funny?" Hanekoma breathed onto Joshua's pale skin.

"Was all of this really necessary?" he asked. He could smell the hints of lavender fragrances emitting from the candles.

Joshua brought his hands up behind the man's neck and started to stroke his dark hair tenderly.

This time, it was Hanekoma who laughed.

"Of course, Boss," he replied and propped himself onto his elbows, looking down at the boy beneath him. "Down to the very last detail. The cliché of romantic love nights."

With a smug smile, Joshua roughly pulled Hanekoma down and kissed him with all the love he could give. He wanted their love night to be legitimate but Hanekoma gave him extravagance. In the following hours, the two filled their paradise with pleasured cries and loving moans.

* * *

**016. Smell**

On a lazy afternoon, Hanekoma stretched out comfortably on the coach of his apartment with Joshua sitting straddling his waist. The barista reached up and stroked a lock of Joshua's hair before pulling him down by the chin for a quick kiss. At such a close position, the two of them took in each others' all too familiar scents.

Hanekoma always thought that Joshua's unique scent made him smell like Heaven itself.

Joshua always thought that Hanekoma smelled like freshly brewed coffee.

* * *

**017. Mutiny**

Neku Sakuraba, you are only human after all. There comes a time when your mortal life must end. But it's a terrible shame that you're gone. Your presence gave the Composer a reason to keep Shibuya alive. _You_ kept Shibuya alive.

I had no choice. Forgive me.

I had to make myself the new Composer.

I had no choice. I did it for Shibuya.

* * *

**018. Fireflies**

Yukatas were popular for viewing the summer fireworks but Joshua wanted to see something less conventional that year.

In response, Hanekoma took Joshua's hand in his and the two walked up the hill carefully in their traditional summertime garments. When they finally reached the top, Joshua staggered a little but Hanekoma was quick to hold him steady. The barista guided his young lover to a bench that seemed to be conveniently waiting for the two of them. Once they were settled down beside one another, Hanekoma untied the blindfold that restrained Joshua's vision.

Once the cloth was gone, Joshua's eyes were greeted by a thousand glowing insects buzzing lazily in the warm summer night air. Joshua giggled and leaned his head onto Hanekoma's shoulder, taking the man's large hand in his own. Maybe summer should be his new favorite season.

* * *

**019. Cooking**

"Wait, Josh!"

"What? Can't I just put this in now?"

Hanekoma gave another sigh and took the bowl of freshly washed mushrooms from Joshua's hands. He could have made dinner in a heartbeat on his own but Joshua had insisted that he would help tonight.

"Such a simple task shouldn't be all that difficult," the boy had said with his usual smug tone.

But their adventures in the kitchen were beginning to prove differently.

The barista put the bowl of mushrooms aside on the counter and held out a wooden spoon for Joshua instead. With a slightly irritated look, Joshua complied and began to stir the simmering sauce in the pot.

"You can't just put raw mushrooms into the sauce," Hanekoma explained. "It's better if we sautéed them first." He took out pan and busied himself with mushrooms and the two of them fell into silence, letting the sizzling sounds of their developing dinner echo through Hanekoma's apartment.

As Joshua was busy stirring the sauce, Hanekoma finished cooking the vegetables and poultry. After plating everything, the barista turned to Joshua and instructed him to pour the sauce onto the meat.

Once everything was complete, they two of them sat at the small table and ate their evening meal. There was no denying that the food they made was delicious. Though, Hanekoma started to bit his lower lip, worrying, and wondered why Joshua was so quiet.

"What's wrong, Josh?" he asked. "The food's no good?"

"No, it's delicious," Joshua answered.

"Then what's bugging ya?"

"I hardly helped with the cooking."

Hanekoma set his chopsticks down and let out a sigh. He waited before speaking. He wanted to make sure that his words came out perfectly to avoid Joshua's flaring comments later. He did find it perplexing that someone with infinite knowledge could be so clueless when it came to making food. Then again, in his celestial form, Joshua hardly had the need to eat.

"Cooking comes with practice, Josh," he finally said. "And you've never been in the position where you had to do it. So no practice means no experience. That's all."

"I'll make breakfast with you tomorrow morning, then," Joshua said.

Hanekoma chuckled and said, "Sure, sure. Whatever you want, Boss. But why don't you focus on dinner first?" He picked up a piece of mushroom with his own chopsticks and fed it to Joshua, who ate it with a smile rather than a complaint.

* * *

**020. Decisions**

Hanekoma let out an exasperated sigh.

"Are you okay, Mr. H?" Neku asked.

"I'm just… It's so difficult finding Josh a good birthday present."

"His birthday? What have you been getting him before?"

"Err…" Hanekoma hummed and scratched the back of his head nervously. "I've never actually gotten him anything before."

This to, Neku raised in eyebrow in curiosity. "What's so special about this time?"

The café owner didn't answer. Instead, he quietly continued to browse the shop that they were in. He hadn't invited the boy out to tirade about his… partnership issues. They were just supposed to have a nice afternoon out to catch up like old times. But somehow, the sight of all the gift-worthy commodities suddenly reminded him of his prissy yet strangely lovable Joshua. The truth was, it wasn't even his birthday; it was more like their anniversary in short. Neku didn't have to know any of the finer details but Hanekoma figured that he could still ask for his help.

"I just thought it would be nice to get him something for a change," Hanekoma replied. "He's been pretty busy with work."

"Well," Neku said, picking up a stuffed toy. "I'm pretty sure you know what Joshua likes more than I do. But how about this?"

Hanekoma looked at the plush, pink panda toy that Neku held up. The design was strangely similar to his CAT murals.

"Isn't this…"

"Yep. Your company starting selling these CAT plush toys a while ago," Neku explained.

"Oh, right, right," Hanekoma said.

He took the panda and examined it. The mental images of Joshua cuddling up with a soft toy were just too… cute.

"If you like that one," Neku said, snapping Hanekoma out of his fantasies. "There's some more over here, Mr. H."

Together, the two of them inspected all the CAT plush creatures that the store carried. Neku seemed to be enjoying himself but Hanekoma was still agonizing over which one he should get Joshua. It was hard to believe that he was actually going to give Joshua a plush toy of all things. In the end, Neku bought a black cat toy for himself and Hanekoma bought one of each for Joshua.

* * *

**021. Babble**

Joshua never failed to run his mouth whenever the conversation turned to a topic that intrigued him. Today's winning topic: the history of coffee.

"It is believed that coffee's international journey to Japan started in Ethiopia where it was traded around the Middle East. The commodity was popular and was trade through areas such as Yemen and Saudi Arabia, even passing through a port called _moca_, giving that kind of coffee its name. Afterwards the Dutch…"

Hanekoma only half-listened to the words that were spilling out of Joshua's all-knowing mouth. He wondered if it had ever crossed Joshua's mind that he, being non-human barista, would already know everything that he was endlessly going on about. There came a point where he just stopped listening altogether and became more preoccupied with Joshua's flapping lips than anything else.

In one swift movement, Hanekoma grabbed Joshua by the shoulders and brought their lips together, tasting the boy's sweet mouth.

When they parted, the barista murmured, "Shut up, Josh."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

It seems like I haven't updated in forever… Sorry about that. I also wanted to point out that I do switch back and forth between past and present tense purposefully in order to capture the feel of each story. They're all individual fics that aren't really related to each other so I considered them to be separate from one another. But if there are any errors, please let me know! Please enjoy these next few ficlets and leave reviews and all that good stuff :)


	5. V

**Immortals' Love Affair**

* * *

**022. Alone**

Inside his luxuriously spacious quarters, Joshua was prompted on top of his throne. The atmosphere that surrounded him was lifeless, silence and immobile. It seemed that even the Underground—filled with dead Players, devious Reapers, and disturbing Noise—had more life than his depressing excuse for a home. Joshua breathed out an irritated sigh and allowed the flowing thoughts of Sanae to invade his mind.

* * *

**023. Teacher**

"Communication is key, alright?" Hanekoma wrapped up his lecture for Neku.

"Well that's a lot easier said than done, Mr. H," Neku sighed. He dropped his head exasperatedly into his folded arms on the café bar table.

"Hey, don't sweat, Boss," the barista ensured him. "The worst she can say is 'no' so just give it a shot."

Neku raised his head again and his face twisted in wonderment, possibly giving Hanekoma's words a bit of thought before shrugging and answering with a simple, "I guess."

The two of them fell silent for a while and Hanekoma took the opportunity to hum a few tunes while he cleaned some of the mugs. He waited for Neku to reply and wondered if the teenager had actually taken his advice into consideration afterall.

"Say, Mr. H," Neku finally said.

"Hm?"

"How come you're not married?"

"Wha—?" The question, no doubt, caught him off guard. Now, _there_ was something that Hanekoma couldn't give an explicit answer to. But he placed the mug and rag down, and messaged the back of his neck, racking through his brain for the most… appropriate answer.

Then he let out of hearty chuckle.

"Listen, Neku. I'm just the type of man who doesn't dig commitment."

"So, you've never had any relationships with women?" Neku asked.

"I prefer the solo life," Hanekoma said with a somewhat nervous laugh.

"Then… how come you can give me relationship advice?" Neku asked again.

Again, he was caught off guard.

"Look, you don't gotta be a good football player to know how to kick a ball, right? It's like that."

Neku gave him a strange look and Hanekoma doubted for a moment that he had believed the crap that he was feeding him. Fortunately, Neku eventually thanked Hanekoma for their little talk, paid for his coffee, and left home for the evening.

When all was quiet into the WildKat Café, Hanekoma found his way towards the couch and plopped himself down with his favorite cup of hot coffee. Only a few sips into his drink and Hanekoma was startled by a familiar giggle and a gentle hand that curled around the back of his neck, massaging it with delicate fingertips.

"Neku's right, Sanae. How is it that you're still not married at your age?"

"Would you like me to be, Joshua?" Hanekoma countered.

Though, Joshua's only reply was another laugh. The teenager released the older man's neck, made his way over to the front of the couch where he sat and grabbed the cup of coffee away. He took a sip for himself before setting it down on the table and crawled onto Hanekoma's lap. Joshua smiled his usually smirk and wrapped his arms around the man's neck, causing Hanekoma to routinely drape his about the boy's slim waist.

"'Communication is key,' right?" Joshua murmured next to the man's ear.

This time, it was Hanekoma's turn to laugh. He took Joshua's chin into his fingers and spoke lowly.

"That would be an interesting day, wouldn't it? The day you know how to communicate normally."

Joshua said nothing.

He only smiled and permitted Hanekoma to exchange a bitter kiss with him.

* * *

**024. Eternal**

Joshua had to admit. The greatest part about being in a relationship with Sanae Hanekoma was the luxury of never having to utter the phrase: "Till death do us part."

* * *

**025. Cold**

He hated everything about it, the chills, the hot flashes, his stuffy nose and his aching body. Though, the warm bed and Hanekoma feeding him spoonfuls of homemade soup compensate for all of that.

* * *

**026. Headache**

When all the locks were sealed and every light was switched off, WildKat Café's owner stumbled upstairs to his living quarters and slumped head first into his mountain of pillows. The man breathed out a muffled sigh before turning to lie on his back, staring at the shadowy ceiling of his room.

Winter never failed to be the busiest season. And running a one-man show didn't help either. He could already feel the malicious pounding in the back of his head growing in magnitude.

"If you needed help, you should have asked."

"Not now, J," Hanekoma grumbled as he felt his partner's weight fall onto the bed next to him.

It was difficult to see in the darkness but he could feel Joshua seating himself down next to his shoulder. A cold hand snaked its way comfortably up to the man's forehead and began to massage it delicately. Hanekoma raised an eyebrow at first but ultimately consent to Joshua's actions.

* * *

**027. Future**

It's true.

Their relationship doesn't have a future. For the entirety of Time, the two ethereal beings continue to dance to the song of forbidden sin, engaging in silence taboos that even the Heavens dare not sing. Their music is everlasting and solidified to the point that is it so predictable it is almost laughable.

Every day, every month, every year, every lifetime becomes a harmonic haze.

And yet, they refuse to reach the final measure.

* * *

**028. Bunnies**

Joshua was petting baby rabbits as Hanekoma handed him a few more chopped pieces of vegetables for the little creatures. The barista noticed the small curve that found its way onto Joshua's lips. Then, when one of the babies hopped onto the palm of his hand, the ashen teen let out a soft giggle and held the small fur ball against his cheek. Damn.

Hanekoma looked away, cleared his throat and ran his hand across the back of his neck.

Now there was a fantasy he didn't even know he had.

* * *

**029. Summer**

"Heads up, Phones!" Beat called out as he slammed the volleyball upwards and over the net.

Neku was quick to react and smashed the ball right back. This time, Shiki bounced the ball which in turn gave Joshua the opportunity to strike back. It was a simple two-on-two game with Rhyme and Sanae refereeing from the group's comfortable little area on the sand across from the net. When the game went to Shiki and Beat, Joshua gave his partner a cunning remark to which Neku almost lost his temper for a split second.

After a quick snack break, Rhyme began to mold the sand into lovely little castles and Beat, Shiki, and Neku joined soon after. Joshua got up to head towards his friends as well but before he could take another step, Hanekoma took his hand lightly and held him firm.

"What?"

"Um… Nothing, Boss," Hanekoma said, as if he was almost embarrassed about something. "I just… Never seen you so happy before, ya know?"

Joshua gazed at him in silence for a while. Then he smiled—a genuine smile—and gave Hanekoma's hand a squeeze.

"Thank you, Sanae," was all he said.

Hanekoma let him go and watched him build sand castles with the others. When he settled back into his beach chair, the barista smiled to himself.

Composer or not, Joshua was still just a fifteen-year-old.

* * *

**030. Magic**

"J," Hanekoma said. "It's been about month already. You're not gonna start another Game any time soon?"

"What's it to you, Sanae?" Joshua countered.

"Uh—well nothing in particular. But, uh, the Higher Ups are startin' to question why I haven't been doing much lately."

"You can't simply tell them you're on a personal vacation?"

His answer made Hanekoma chuckle.

"You know they won't buy that."

"So, you'd like me to start another Game?"

Hanekoma shrugged.

"I could tell you that. But I'd doubt you'd actually do it."

Joshua raised an eyebrow. Hanekoma only stared hard back into his violet eyes.

_The day you actually listened to me would truly be a magical day._

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

30 ficlets down. 70 more ficlets to go.


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